Third wave very likely: Kejriwal

Says government preparing on “war footing” to fight virus

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday cautioned that the chances of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic were quite real, while he asserted that his government was preparing on a “war-footing” to combat it. Indications are coming from the UK on the fear of the third wave. Cases are rising there, despite 45 per cent of vaccination. So, we cannot afford to sit idle, he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday cautioned that the chances of a third Covid wave were quite real, and asserted his government was preparing on a “war-footing” to combat it. He said that the indications of a third wave are coming from the UK where Coronavirus cases are rising again despite “45 per cent of its population” being vaccinated.

“So, we cannot afford to sit idle,” he told an online event to inaugurate 22 new PSA oxygen plants at nine hospitals across Delhi. He said these plants have a total production capacity of 17.3 metric tonnes (MT), and they will strengthen the preparations to fight Covid. As many as 17 more oxygen plants will be started by July, he said.

The Delhi government is also procuring oxygen tankers to aid the fight against a third wave, he said, adding that the previous wave, which in on the wane, was “very dangerous”.

Expressing gratitude towards industries for their help in fighting the second wave, he also said the people of Delhi came together to combat it with struggle and discipline, and have “succeeded in controlling it”.

He prayed that a third wave of Covid doesn’t arrive. However, he cautioned that the chances of a third wave are “quite real”, and "if it happens, Delhi has to again fight together". “We cannot afford to sit idle and our government is preparing on a war-footing to combat it,” he said.

He also underlined the need for expanding the vaccination drive to fight the pandemic.